Here you go Agata!

OK, some of you want pictures of the feet, and I have forgotten and put it off for too long... here they are! The wrinkly bits on the top are just a little excess skin he had, that will just go away with time... :-D He seems pretty happy in his brace now, he has figured out how to kick and slam his feet down.

Now, I'm off to try to do the amazing superdedooper SCHOOL SCHEDULE!

New Shoes!

Mark got his new shoes & bar today! Praise GOD! His sweet little feet look so great! I will be posting a foot pic later, after his much anticipated bath.
(2 months of casts means pretty smelly & linty little feet)

He was very unhappy and crying like he was in pain right after the brace was put on him, and he continued to cry the whole way back to Mom's house. After about 30 minutes of trying to comfort him at there house, I checked the bar length, and realized that they hadn't quite set it long enough. So, I grabbed a hex key and readjusted it to be as wide as his shoulders. What a change! He went from very teary to talking away at me with a grin. :-)

I am so thankful for the Yahoo group for parents of clubfeet kiddos. If they hadn't mentioned just how to adjust the brace, we would probably be back up at the hospital in a few days with a very unhappy little boy.

God has given us such blessings!

Here he is napping at home.

YIPPIE!

Well, I have another story of God's love in the little things...



I have been thinking of small ways to save money lately, and one thing that I had decided to do was buy some cloth napkins. We had been given 2 sets of cloth napkins when we got married, ten years ago. I loved them, but alas, they are wearing out. Beside, 2 small sets of napkins need a lot of washing to be used each day. So, I had JUST decided to buy some yesterday, and then on an unrelated shopping trip to Walmart, there they were, napkins in burgundy and white easy care polyester,for $0.25 each. :-)

I now have 20 white and 10 burgandy. That should last for at least two days!
I also picked up a Christmas present for next year. Original price $20, and I paid $2. :-)

If you have a local Walmart that is a HUGE mess because they are remodeling and moving everything around, go check out the clearance section. There are some deals to be had!

Frugality and the Boys Jeans......

This is a quick and sturdy way to patch a knee, you can do it while bread rises or bakes.

First gather the necessary materials, ripped jeans, donor denim patch material (I used an old pair or stretch maternity jeans) top stitching thread, top stitching needle, sewing machine, scissors and pins.

1. Open the inner seam, from about 1-2 " above the ankle, to about 1-2 inches from the crotch.
2. Cut a patch from your donor material... Stretch denim is VERY nice. I like a patch about 3 by 4 inches.

3. Pin the patch to the back of the knee area.
4.Put the topstitching thread and needle on your machine. Sew a shape( I do a square/ rectangle) You will need to cover the area with stitching to keep the patch sturdy. I usually start on the outer edge of my square, then just keep going inward in the square. When I get to the end, I backstitch and cut the thread.

5. Repeat on the other knee, even if there is no hole there yet. If you do not, you will be sewing again in about a week.

6. Sew the inseam up again using the topstitching thread. No, I don't overlock the inner edge, or zigzag. None of my eight year old sons pants have unraveled yet. :-)

So far, this has saved our household about $36 dollars, and I have 2 more pairs of pants to go.
I would love to do a bionicle shape on the knee. If anyone has the ability to draw, please send me a bionicle mask outline, and my son will forever love you!

Now to enjoy my bread... Mmmmmmmmmmm :-)

Happily poor(ish)........

Like many of you, I appreciate reading about other’s experiences as they attempt to raise their families in the way they should go. I like to read homeschooling magazines, Christian education articles, joyful homemaking magazines, etc. But I would like to see a book written to encourage those who are attempting to do these things with a SMALL budget.

I want to know how the qualifying-for-state-healthcare income level family does multiple children and one income living with graciousness. Let’s hear about stretching the budget to fewer than $400 per month for groceries and consumables (family of 5). What about home schooling in the pages per day style, while not paying $16 for workbooks? Speak on staying content with the Goodwill (almost too spendy now) or garage sale finds. Please, anyone out there on a SMALL income, tell your story. It is just as important to others as the stories of large blessings.

It seems that part of the problem is our cultural (yes, church people too) definitions of success. If you own your home and 10 acres outright, can afford to buy new clothing, and NEVER shop at the Dollar Store or Walmart, then you are a success. However, if you are a family who loves the Lord, and the husband is providing for the daily needs of the household, you shouldn’t feel ashamed to not have $600 per month for health insurance or to live in an apartment. Being poor is not a sin. Living in an old house with wavy and scratched up wood floors is not wrong. Accepting the Oregon Health plan in order to afford a hospital birth is not wicked. Wearing the same pajamas for 8 years is not evil, just a bit depressing at times.

Don’t get me wrong, all those aforementioned lovely things are AMAZING blessings from God, they are just not my blessings. I’m very glad that some of you out there have 2 washing machines and/or freezers, and can afford to buy new clothes for your oldest/biggest child every fall and spring, but I need encouragement from those who have gone before. Let's hear from the veterans of traversing the way of JOYFUL poverty, wearing the same clothing to church every other week, eating Raman soup for lunch and dancing before the Lord in their second-hand shoes …. :-D